Hi!
From 10:00 to dawn the last 2 nights, I sat and waited for the unknown chicken-killing predator to show back up here.
I'd reinforced all the coops and have been screwing all the doors shut every night, but you know a determined predator can find a weak spot.
So I sat in a 'blind' last night and night-before from dark til daylight and NOTHING! Not even a visit from out resident owl (I was hoping to see the owl). I can't imagine anything more boring than the last 2 nights --- sitting 'still' (I don't do still well) in a hard chair just waiting. I have a flock of ducks that I could see from the blind, but watching the ducks playing off and on in the wading pools gets old after a couple hours.
Tonight was the pay-off! In case you didn't know, ducks don't miss much. I had barely got settled in and all the ducks (40 of them) went into full alert and lined up along the back fence. They (as a group) walked the back fence of their yard for about 10 mins and then I saw the raccoon! Brazen coon, bot not bold enough to take on a flock of 40 ducks (when it's just a walk away there are sleeping chickens)
She actually climbed right over a Hav-a-heart trap freshly baited w/ a can of tuna, climbed the fence and headed straight to a coop.
I was fascinated and could have taken a shot then, but just watched.
She took both paws and grabbed the edge of the coop door, no go. Wedged both paws in and pulled and shook, door won't move. Other side, no go either. Frustrated, she went straight over the fence and to the next coop. Right to the coop door. Same deal (I've been screwing all the coop doors shut), no go. She tried from very angle to get the door open. No go.
She stood up on her haunches (to decide which coop to try next or should she try for one of those youngsters roosting on the fence?) and I had a clear shot.
Honestly, I hated to do it. I don't like to kill anything. I'll trap and relocate if that is possible. I've been trying to find some bait that would work for 3 wks now with no luck. There was just no way this one was going back in either of the traps.
I *think* this was the same sow coon I caught last year and turned loose the first time because she was obviously still nursing youngsters (I won't intentionally relocate a "Mom" and leave young to starve). The other 2 times I trapped her, Hubby turned her loose too close to home (it was more convenient for him and he didn't believe it was the same animal).
It's a balancing act.
I'm constantly reminded how glad I am that we don't have large predators (bear, mountain lions, etc).
I just can't imagine building a 'bear-proof' chicken coop.
Lisa
From 10:00 to dawn the last 2 nights, I sat and waited for the unknown chicken-killing predator to show back up here.
I'd reinforced all the coops and have been screwing all the doors shut every night, but you know a determined predator can find a weak spot.
So I sat in a 'blind' last night and night-before from dark til daylight and NOTHING! Not even a visit from out resident owl (I was hoping to see the owl). I can't imagine anything more boring than the last 2 nights --- sitting 'still' (I don't do still well) in a hard chair just waiting. I have a flock of ducks that I could see from the blind, but watching the ducks playing off and on in the wading pools gets old after a couple hours.
Tonight was the pay-off! In case you didn't know, ducks don't miss much. I had barely got settled in and all the ducks (40 of them) went into full alert and lined up along the back fence. They (as a group) walked the back fence of their yard for about 10 mins and then I saw the raccoon! Brazen coon, bot not bold enough to take on a flock of 40 ducks (when it's just a walk away there are sleeping chickens)
She actually climbed right over a Hav-a-heart trap freshly baited w/ a can of tuna, climbed the fence and headed straight to a coop.
I was fascinated and could have taken a shot then, but just watched.
She took both paws and grabbed the edge of the coop door, no go. Wedged both paws in and pulled and shook, door won't move. Other side, no go either. Frustrated, she went straight over the fence and to the next coop. Right to the coop door. Same deal (I've been screwing all the coop doors shut), no go. She tried from very angle to get the door open. No go.
She stood up on her haunches (to decide which coop to try next or should she try for one of those youngsters roosting on the fence?) and I had a clear shot.
Honestly, I hated to do it. I don't like to kill anything. I'll trap and relocate if that is possible. I've been trying to find some bait that would work for 3 wks now with no luck. There was just no way this one was going back in either of the traps.
I *think* this was the same sow coon I caught last year and turned loose the first time because she was obviously still nursing youngsters (I won't intentionally relocate a "Mom" and leave young to starve). The other 2 times I trapped her, Hubby turned her loose too close to home (it was more convenient for him and he didn't believe it was the same animal).
It's a balancing act.
I'm constantly reminded how glad I am that we don't have large predators (bear, mountain lions, etc).
I just can't imagine building a 'bear-proof' chicken coop.
Lisa
